Blogging from Berlin
This week I'm spending a couple of days in germany at SunUP then back to the UK. SunUP is a great forum that I really enjoy, this years attendance has been outstanding I would estimate we have close to 110 attendees. The presentations I normally find informative but really enjoy the more informal chats with customers on just about ever subject under the sun (no pun intended)
Last night I observed (had to sit on my hands to remind myself not to speak up) a facilitated customer session discussing reasons (and constraints) in connected relationships with Sun. Really great to get some first hand feedback on what customers want and dont regarding establishing connected services.
I had a lively follow-on discussion this morning around our thoughts on security and to be honest how this differs from some of our competitors in the market. Our message of industry standard protocols that allow us to fit vs. refit customers security policies and the requirement for transparency on telemetry in terms of disclosure (and audit) of what is delivered to Sun seems to be resonating.
This morning one of my partners in crime David Trotter (who leads serviceability and readiness) for Global Customer Services covered our strategy for connected services. I noted a lot of nodding heads in the room.
Later today we have a breakout session I am really looking forward to describing shared-shell and its use to speed up remote diagnostics and resolution. Good back-grounder at Shared Shell Blog and some real world examples from Clive King on his blog (also he is doing scary things with dtrace).
I was hoping to get some time this evening to explore Berlin a little, from the short taxis ride from the airport it looks like a beautiful city, alas tonight its another flight back to the UK ready for a busy schedule tomorrow.
On a completely different note, this new year (well sun financial year) brings an expanded assignment for me. We will be joining the chief technologist positions from GCS and Services Group with our Services Engineering organization. I'll be leading this organization and reporting to Jeya Kumar who leads our services group but keeping a close relationship still with global customer services (delivery) and Ian White. Really looking forward to the new challenges this role will bring.
